The purpose of this study is to measure resting energy expenditure, total energy expenditure, and physical activity in recovering burn children to better understand their relation to impaired growth and nutritional status; and to measure whole body and muscle protein turnover during recovery from burn injury to understand their impact on body composition and energy metabolism. It also aims to look at changes in lean body mass, fat mass, bone mineral density and bone mineral content during rehabilitation and during early convalescence.

Other: Use of Stable Isotope to Measure Energy Expenditure and Protein Turnover

Two pre-dose urine specimens will be collected prior to an oral dose containing 0.22 g/kg total body water of 100% 18O water (or 1.2 g/kg per body weight of 10% 18O water) and 0.11 g/kg per body weight of 99.9% deuterium oxide. Then the patient will receive a single dose (4mg/kg, less than 2% of normal daily intake of 1.1g per person) of 15N glycine tracer. For this, patients will drink a dose of 15N glycine (4mg.kg 1dissolved in 20 ml of saline) mixed in 50 cc of apple juice or other liquid beverage, followed by a 50 cc wash of water. 24 hour urine collection will commence immediately. Twenty-four hour urines will be used for determining the 15N NH3 and 15N urea enrichment. Each urine container will contain 5 ml of 15N HCl for trapping the urinary ammonium. Urine will be collected each day for 3 days, for determination of the total urinary nitrogen, urea creatinine, and ammonia excretion.

Patients > 2 less than 18 who have been admitted to our hospital for treatment of an initial wound size of 40% or greater total body surface area burn, which has subsequently healed

Exclusion Criteria:

hemodynamically unstable

not receiving enteral nutrition

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01544868